System and method for removing artifacts from a digitized document

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for removing artifacts from a digitized document. The method discloses receiving a digitized document, having an image format, and including content and an artifact; identifying a content boundary within the digitized document; enhancing the digitized document after identifying the content boundary; and removing the artifact by cropping the digitized document to the content boundary after enhancing the digitized document The system discloses a processor configured to operate a series of functional modules, including: a means for receiving a digitized document, having an image format, and including content and an artifact; a content boundary identification module, for identifying a content boundary within the digitized document; an image enhancement module, for enhancing the digitized document after identifying the content boundary; and a content cropping module, for removing the artifact by cropping the digitized document to the content boundary after enhancing the digitized document.

1. A method, executed by a computer, for removing artifacts from a digitized document, comprising:
 receiving a digitized document, having an image format, and including content and an artifact; 
 identifying a content boundary within the digitized document; 
 determining an original background color of the digitized document; 
 enhancing the digitized document after identifying the content boundary; 
 removing the artifact by cropping the digitized document to the content boundary after enhancing the digitized document; and 
 generating a derivative work from the cropped digitized document, including adding a new margin region around the cropped digitized document having a same color as the original background color. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 :
 the digitized document further comprising a margin region juxtaposed next to a portion of the content boundary; 
 wherein the artifact is located in the margin region. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the image format of the digitized document includes one from a group of: JPEG, TIFF, RAW, PNG, GIF, BMP, PPM, PGM, PBM, XBM, ILBM, WBMP, PNM, CGM, and SVG. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein identifying includes: using the original background color from the digitized document to detect the content boundary; and 
 wherein enhancing include: removing the original background color from the digitized document after identifying the content boundary. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the content boundary is in a shape of a rectangular region around the content. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein enhancing includes one from a group of: 
 removing the original background color from the digitized document; 
 replacing the original background color with a new background color; and 
 masking the original background color from the digitized document. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein identifying includes identifying the content boundary within a first copy of the digitized document; and 
 wherein enhancing include, enhancing a second copy of the digitized document; and 
 further comprising executing the identifying and enhancing in parallel. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein enhancing includes, revealing new artifacts in the digitized document outside of the content boundary. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein content includes typed text on a page; and 
 wherein enhancing includes sharpening the text. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the digitized document includes an image of one from a group of: text, an illustration, a picture, a photo, and a frame of video. 
 
     
     
       11. An article comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a computer to remove artifacts from a digitized document, by:
 receiving a digitized document, having an image format, and including content and an artifact; 
 identifying a content boundary within the digitized document; 
 determining an original background color of the digitized document; 
 enhancing the digitized document after identifying the content boundary; 
 removing the artifact by cropping the digitized document to the content boundary after enhancing the digitized document; and 
 generating a derivative work from the cropped digitized document, including adding a new margin region around the cropped digitized document having a same color as the original background color. 
 
     
     
       12. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 11 :
 wherein identifying includes: using the original background color from the digitized document to detect the content boundary; and 
 wherein enhancing includes: removing the original background color from the digitized document after identifying the content boundary. 
 
     
     
       13. A system for removing artifacts from a digitized document, comprising:
 a processor configured to operate a series of functional modules, including: 
 a page detection module to receive a digitized document, having an image format, and including content and an artifact; 
 a content boundary identification module, to identify a content boundary within the digitized document; 
 an image enhancement module, to determine an original background color of the digitized document, wherein the image enhancement module is to enhance the digitized document after identifying the content boundary; 
 a content cropping module, to remove the artifact by cropping the digitized document to the content boundary after enhancing the digitized document; and 
 a content placement module, for generating a derivative work from the cropped digitized document, including adding a new margin region around the cropped digitized document that has a same color as the original background color.